19 Best Sights in Scotland

The lovely Castle Kennedy Gardens surround the shell of the original Castle Kennedy, which burned down in 1716. Parks scattered around the property were built by the second Earl of Stair in 1733. The earl was a field marshal and used his soldiers to help with the heavy work of constructing banks, ponds, and other major landscape features. When the rhododendrons are in bloom (April through July, depending on the variety), the effect is kaleidoscopic. There's also a pleasant tearoom.

These formal Victorian gardens, regarded as some of the finest of their kind in Europe, celebrate family and Scottish heraldry. Combining the formal French and more relaxed Italian styles, the flower beds are planted and trimmed in the shapes of various heraldic symbols, such as a lion rampant and a checkerboard, associated with the coat of arms of the family that owns the castle. The gardens were on display in the filming of Outlander. The house itself is not open to the public.

It is a minor Glasgow miracle how as soon as the sun appears, the Botanics (as they're known to locals) fill with people. Beautiful flower displays and extensive lawns create the feeling that this is a large back garden for the inhabitants of the West End's mainly apartment homes. At the heart of the gardens is the spectacular circular greenhouse, the Kibble Palace, a favorite haunt of Glaswegian families. Originally built in 1873, it was the conservatory of a Victorian eccentric. Kibble Palace and the other greenhouses contain tree ferns, palm trees, and the Tropicarium, where you can experience the lushness of a rain forest or see its world-famous collection of orchids. There is a tearoom, and in June and July the gardens host presentations of Shakespeare's plays as well as popular works from playwrights such as Oscar Wilde ( www.bardinthebotanics.co.uk).

A highlight of the area, Inverewe Garden has lush plantings tucked away behind a dense barrier of trees and shrubs. This is all thanks to the warm North Atlantic Drift, which takes the edge off winter frosts. Inverewe is sometimes described as subtropical, but this inaccuracy irritates the head gardener; do not expect coconuts and palm trees here. Instead, look for rarities like the blue Himalayan poppy. The garden, located 6 miles north of Gairloch, is also a haven for wildlife, with Scotland's Big 5 (the red squirrel, red deer, otter, seal, and golden eagle) all found around here.

Explore Britain's largest rhododendron and azalea gardens at this beautiful 70-acre botanical garden. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden, it now has a range of natural highlights such as soaring palms in the glass-domed Temperate House and the steamy Tropical Palm House, an extensive Chinese garden, and a pretty rock garden and stream. There's a visitor center with exhibits on biodiversity, a fabulous gift shop selling plants, books, and gifts, and two cafeterias. The handsome 18th-century Inverleith House hosts art exhibitions.

It's free to roam the gardens, but it costs extra for greenhouse admission (which is currently closed for major renovations) or you can splash out even more for guided garden walks and private tours. It takes 20 minutes to walk to the garden from Princes Street, or you can take a bus.

Immerse yourself in these verdant botanics, replete with 2,000 square feet of heated greenhouses, woodland, rock gardens, allotments, art installations, and various habitats including the Tangled Bank sand dune system. It's just a 15-minute walk out of town via the wonderful Lade Braes footpath.  Bring a picnic or enjoy the on-site tearoom. There are picnic tables around the gardens plus a plant nursery and gift shop.

Dundee's botanical garden contains an extensive collection of native and exotic plants both outdoors and in tropical and arid Mediterranean greenhouses, all interspersed with intriguing art installations and outbuildings. You can walk amid gorgeous plants native to temperate regions from Europe and the Americas to East Asia and Australasia. A serene highlight is the path beside a babbling burn with sphagnum moss and Angus glen ferns. There are some beautiful areas for picnicking, as well as a visitor center, art galleries, and a coffee shop with plants for sale.

Visit Achamore House Gardens in late spring to see its azaleas and its prize collection of rhododendrons ablaze with color. The island's mellow microclimate fosters these lush shrubberies.

Rambling over 12,000 acres, one of Britain's finest collections of conifers is set off by rhododendron blossoms in early summer. You can find the garden around the head of Loch Fyne, about 10 miles east of Inveraray. There's a wild woodland walk beyond the garden; both are open all year. The house, regarded as architect Sir Robert Lorimer's masterpiece, is open to visitors only on Fridays between April and October.

A little over halfway between Shieldaig and Kyle of Lochalsh, this 20-acre estate centered around a striking 18th-century house makes for an energizing break. Highlights here include the historic Sunken Garden, the atmospheric Old Wood, and the peaceful Japanese Garden. Kids will also enjoy following the sculpture trail, with a range of eclectic animal figures by artists from around the world; look out for the distinctive wild-cat pointer on the sundial. Climb the steps up from the Old Rhododendron Walk for stunning views of the estate and beyond—on a clear day you can see the Cuillin Hills of Skye—then grab a drink and snack in the DIY tearoom. You can also reach Attadale by train from Kyle of Lochalsh or Inverness; the station is just outside.

The interactive exhibition, specifically designed for children, celebrates the life and work of this much-beloved children's writer who, for many years, spent her family holidays in the area. You're free to walk around the enchanting garden where you can peep into the homes of Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, her best-known characters. The visitor center has a well-stocked shop and a small café serving breakfast, lunch, and coffee and cake. The garden is a mile south of Dunkeld, in Birnam.

This charming hillside garden, opened in 1922, has winding paths and a variety of colorful plants that make it feel larger than its two acres.The alpine flowers are part of this varied color scheme and in summer the Himalayan blue poppies are a particular source of pride. The tearoom and its tables on the lawn outside are a lovely place to stop and enjoy the surroundings.

Exotic Himalayan plants flourish in the gentle microclimate of this 100-acre garden, where the Crarae Burn, a small stream, cascades through a rocky gorge. Rhododendrons, azaleas, and magnolias lend color, and native flowers and trees attract birds and butterflies.

Built on land bequeathed by Miss Anne Cruickshank in memory of her beloved brother, Alexander, the 11-acre Cruickshank Botanic Garden at the heart of Old Aberdeen has a peaceful water garden and lush greens ideal for lounging—when the weather allows—and beautifully tended subtropical and alpine collections. Botanical tours are available.

Like its neighbor Castle Kennedy, this wonderful garden, created some 40 years ago, benefits from the warm gulf stream that flows along the area's coasts, allowing tropical plants to grow. Rare trees and shrubs grow here beside ferns, wild grasses, and a variety of wildflowers. It is also an arboretum with a tree trail. Paths and walks crisscross the garden, leading out into the surrounding moorland, where you can enjoy the views across to the Mull of Galloway.

One of the four major sites belonging to the Edinburgh-based National Botanic Gardens of Scotland, the spectacular Logan Botanic Garden is a must-see for garden lovers. Displayed here are plants that enjoy the prevailing mild climate, especially tree ferns, cabbage palms, and other Southern Hemisphere exotica. There are free guided walks every second Tuesday of the month at 10:30 am; at other times there is a free audio guide.

Five miles west of Ellon, at Pitmedden Garden is an exquisite re-creation of a 17th-century garden. It is best visited in summer, from July onward, when annual bedding plants—framed by precision-cut box hedging—form intricate formal patterns. The 100-acre estate also has woodland and farmland walks, as well as the Museum of Farming Life.

The National Trust for Scotland's Priorwood Garden, next to Melrose Abbey, specializes in flowers for drying, and dried flowers are on sale in the shop. Next to the gardens is an orchard with some old apple varieties and other fruit trees. The walled Harmony Garden, belonging to the lovely Georgian house at its heart, sits nearby opposite the abbey.

The National Trust for Scotland cares for the gently sloping parkland and gardens around an 1867 mansion built by William Gordon, a Liverpool businessman. The house, fully restored in the 1930s, gives a glimpse into the daily life of a prosperous 19th-century family. The grounds demand an army of gardeners, and today many of them are students at the National Trust's School of Heritage Gardening, which has developed the variety of gardens here. Bats, ospreys, and other birds and animals share the space. Entry to the house is by timed guided tour, and it's wise to book ahead. There's an on-site restaurant.